Buen dia!

if i had a camera, i would post a picture of what i wake up to every morning from my new house-- birdies a' chirpin', the mountains in the distance, a rickity tin roof a couple houses down, and lots of green. i am SO much happier in this house-- i moved about 2 weeks ago, right before i went back to the states for a week March 24.

why did i change families, you ask? well-- i think i was getting mildly depressed in the other house-- no joke. i have never felt such little energy, such 'pereza' to go home and to just get up and start the day in general. yeah, i know-- hello! such blahness does not go at all with my essential energy!! something had to be changed. i talked to my program directors, who are two super amazing women--Isa and Zaida-- sooo chapman-like and lovable, and they were not havin it-- me unhappy in that house. my host mom was an older lady and spent 12 waking hours minimum watching television, which was located in the middle of the house and polluted its sound throughout the house everyday. and we're not taking interesting programs, maybe-i'll-sit-down-and-watch-something-with-you-to-"bond", we're talking those lame-o MTV-esqe wet tee-shirt contests, bimbo babe getting lowered closer to a snake den everytime her team answered a question wrong kind of show. no thank you. every time she gave me a meal, it was like a nuisance to her. basically, i just felt like shit. so i moved-- and the family i am with now, is so so different. it is a bit unusual-- the parents are divorced and the dad doesn't live close by. the mom lives in the house on the weekends, but lives with her new husband about 30 minutes away during the week. so its just me and my two brothers-- Elias, 21and Oscar, 25-- who are super nice and amazing company. the mom is amazing-- she is smart, a social worker-- sharp and super sweet. knows whats goin' on. but the best part is Dinorah, or as we call her, mano (with the n i dont hve on this keyboard), who is the grandma that comes to take care of us during the week. AMAZING cook, and so nice. i feel happiness and altogether well being popping back up like flowers in springtime.

the US. i had to leave CR because my student visa didn't get approved and my 90 day tourist visa ran out. this was an amazing trip. spent most of it with my family, in my house in CT-- they sold the house on friday and will be moving to Tennessee within 2 months. i NEEDED that closure in my house-- i was not prepared to come back from CR to a life in the south total foreign to me. and the BEST part-- i got to steal back to Amherst for a few hours-- and just happend to be on the Full Moon night! as Max said, "you're timing was impeccable." The Zu was amazing-- sadly I didn't get to see any of you-- twas so short a visit, I mostly just hung in the Zu and with JESS, which was great. Anyhoo, so much LOVE! And sending good wishes across the world to all.